heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers$279.60/cwt-3.40 vs last sale · ≈ $1,311/hd at 469 lb · 35 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers$248.58/cwt-22.64 vs last sale · ≈ $1,288/hd at 518 lb · 28 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers$235.77/cwt+15.77 vs last sale · ≈ $1,239/hd at 526 lb · 24 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
707
645
1,190
Feeder cattle
511
462
848
Slaughter cattle
181
158
342
Replacement cattle
15
25
0
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week, the higher quality calves on a health program and a few yearlings sold steady while those of lesser quality, those carrying flesh or calves without a respiratory vaccination sold with a lower undertone. The discounts for the fleshier calves coming off the cow are typical for this time of year but also, cattle futures have been lower nearly every day since last Thursday, bringing a negative undertone to the market. However, price levels are still historically high and demand remained moderate to good. Slaughter cows and bulls sold mostly steady except for some higher dressing fleshy cows up to 5.00 higher.
USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of
the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is
muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle
scores — common across the Southeast.
What is $/cwt?
Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at
$450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per
cwt but less per head.
Why are some prices per head?
Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the
head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a
$/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.
Where do these numbers come from?
From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News —
federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the
official USDA document at the top of the page.
Cattle Market
Compared to last week, the higher quality calves on a health program and a few yearlings sold steady while those of lesser quality, those carrying flesh or calves without a respiratory vaccination sold with a lower undertone. The discounts for the fleshier calves coming off the cow are typical for this time of year but also, cattle futures have been lower nearly every day since last Thursday, bringing a negative undertone to the market. However, price levels are still historically high and demand remained moderate to good. Slaughter cows and bulls sold mostly steady except for some higher dressing fleshy cows up to 5.00 higher.